


Time for Regrets (Regrets for Time)

by DoctorTrekLock



Series: Resolution19 [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Computer Viruses, Gen, Science Fiction, Timekeeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 23:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17755331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorTrekLock/pseuds/DoctorTrekLock
Summary: "You have dishonored us." The Larian's ears were flopping back and forth wildly with the strength of eir displeasure. The two Larians on either side of the lead negotiator thumped their spears on the ground twice in succession. The half-dozen behind them stood shoulder-to-shoulder and watched the approaching delegation with caution.The landing party from theFeatherstuttered to a halt about twenty feet away from the group of Larians. One of them, a Terran named Natalya, took a few more steps forward, her hands held in front of her and her head tilted fifteen degrees to the right in a show of deference.





	Time for Regrets (Regrets for Time)

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: scifi - firmware update was pushed out to the fleet, has vital error in the clock program that causes every computer to repeat 2300. translators have to explain to the enemy why everyone is an hour late to peace talks.  
> Source: <http://doctortreklock.tumblr.com/post/155742529542/sailershanty-armalis-sci-fi-episodes-i>
> 
> Originally posted January 1, 2019 on [Tumblr](http://doctortreklock.tumblr.com/post/181635001207/time-for-regrets-regrets-for-time-january-1)

 "You have dishonored us." The Larian's ears were flopping back and forth wildly with the strength of eir displeasure. The two Larians on either side of the lead negotiator thumped their spears on the ground twice in succession. The half-dozen behind them stood shoulder-to-shoulder and watched the approaching delegation with caution.

The landing party from the _Feather_ stuttered to a halt about twenty feet away from the group of Larians. One of them, a Terran named Natalya, took a few more steps forward, her hands held in front of her and her head tilted fifteen degrees to the right in a show of deference.

The Larians with spears grumbled and shifted, but didn't move to intercept her.

Natalya met the negotiator's eye and slowly tipped her head back up to its normal resting place. "We meant no disrespect, Envoy Kaereth. There was a flaw with our timekeeping. We regret this error." Two of the five other crew members nodded, though one was markedly more enthusiastic than the other.

Kaereth let out a low, rumbling growl, eir ears still waving rapidly. "You speak falsehood. The Alliance would not make such a simple mistake."

Another of Natalya's crew members winced and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. She pointedly did not look in his direction. "There was an error in updating our ship's computer system. This update caused an error in our timekeeping system. We did not realize the mistake until we were already 38 trillicks late to this summit. We regret this mistake and wish our negotiations to commence as planned."

Kaereth's ears had returned to their usual slow fluttering, and ey had curled one of eir sets of lips in contemplation while the other pair had retracted to bare fourteen square teeth arranged in two rows.

Natalya slowly let out a breath and waited for eir verdict. The eight Larians behind the negotiator stood still, while her own crew members fidgeted behind her, all watching Kaereth.

When the decision came, it sounded like Kaereth was grinding Vitrusian glass. "We shall allow the slight to pass unnoticed--" There was a collective sigh from the crew of the _Feather_. "-- _this time_." Kaereth finished, and Natalya could feel eir eye on her. "We will not be so lenient again."

Ey let that sink in for a long moment, the only sound the hum of the mountains and the whine of the grass.

"Let the negotiations commence."


End file.
